Brace for heddle frames



Patented June 15, 1926.

UNITED? tssasrr CHARLES C. RUSiELL, OF GREENSBORO, NORTH CARQLINA, ASSIGNOB OF ONIEl-lI-IIRID TO PROXIM ITY MANUFACTURING- COM1PAN Y, O IE GREEN-$330310, NORTH CAROLINA, A CORPORATION OF- NORTH CAROLINA, AND GNE THIRD TO THOMAS E. GARDNER,

OF GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

BRACE' son 'zrnnniin FRAMES-.-

Application filed December 11,1925.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements inheddl'e frames, and particularlyto bracingmeans therefor.

Heretofore, great difli culty" has been experienced with heddlefraines, by reason of the fact that the intermediateportions 0f the upper andulower rails of 'the frames, and-the heddle supporting rods sag, due tothe motion of the loom, the pulling of the warp threads, and the weight of the rods, with the result that the heddles near the-center of the frame bulge, and" cause unevenness in the finished cloth, as well as breakage of the heddles.

Various means have been tried to maintain the upper and lower rails and heddle rods, including engagement of hooks with the rails and rods, and securing straps around the intermediate portions of the rails and rods. These have, however, been very cumbersome, and cause greater strain on the heddle loops than isdesired.

It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to provide a brace for the intermediate portion of a heddle frame which will positively hold the upper and lower rails of the frame against sagging movement toward or away from each other, or bending movement of the heddlesupporting rods away from the rails of the frame and toward or away from each other. This results in maintaining the rods in such proper parallel position that all of the heddles are under equal strains, and the heddles near the center of the frame held against bulging.

Another object is to provide a brace of this character which is readily adaptable to heddle frames now in use, without radical n'iodifications thereto.

Another object is to provide a brace of this character which is provided with means for holding the heddle supporting rods in proper position, and which also serve to hold the rails of the heddle frame in proper spaced relation to said rods.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

Serial No. 74,752.

In the drawing:

Figure l is an elevation of a heddle frame showing thekinvention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is vertical transverse sectional view on 'the'line 2-2 of Figure l, showing the brace in side elevation.

Figure '3 is a perspective View of the brace rails, adjacent the top and bottom rails,

there are formed the openings 13, through which extend the ends of the heddle supporting rods 1 1, said rods being secured at their opposite ends in any suitable and well known manner. The heddles 15 are provided with terminal loops 16 through which the rods 14 pass, and whereby said heddles are supported in vertical position within the frame. Projecting from the intermediate portion of the upper edge face of the upper rail 10 is a pin 17, while a similar pin 18 projects from the intermediate portion of the lower edge of the lowerrail 11, with which the ends of the brace are engaged.

The brace, which is represented as a whole by the numeral 19, comprises an elongated fiat body 20, the opposite ends of which are twisted, at 21, so that the terminals lie in planes at right angles to the body, and said terminals are extended at right angles to the plane of the body, and in a common direction, as shown at 22. One of the said ends 22 is formed with an opening 23 which receives the pin of one of the rails of the heddle frame, while the other end 22 is provided with a laterally opening recess for receiving the other pin 17. Secured on one face of each of the terminals of the brace are the blocks 24, said blocks being so spaced as to provide a recess 25, therebetween for the reception of the intermediate portion of a heddle supporting rod 14. Pivotally carried by the innermost of each pair of blocks 24 is an arm 26 which is adapted to be swung across the face of the rod 14, and onto the other block, whereby to confine the rod within the recess. The free end of the arm 26,

when in red confining position, engages with the inner edge face 01' one of the rails 10 or 11, and holds said rail against movement toward the rod H, and also holds the rod against movement toward the rail.

15y this construction the rods 1a are held in proper spaced parallel relation to each other and to the rails 10 and 11 of the heddle in-\ ie, while the rails are held from any tcndenqv toward bending or sagging in a direction toward or away from each other. i nrthermore, the intermediate heddles are held in proper taut condition, without excessive tension, and against any tendency toward bulging.

To remove the brace, it is only necessary to swing the arms 26 to a sufiicient degree to permit release of the rods 14 from the recesses of the brace, after which the operator moves the recessed end of the brace out of engagement with the pin 17, and slips the other end of the brace from the other pin.

There is thus provided a brace which ettlectively holds the intermediate portion of a heddle frame, and the corresponding portions of the heddle carrying rods, from any movement relative to each other, with the result that the heddle is a rigid structure,

and the quality of the product of the loom improved, to a marked degree.

vi hat is claimed is:

1. The combination with the upper and lower rails and the heddle rods of a heddle frame, of a brace extending between the intermediate portions of said rails, the ends of the brace being directed laterally and interlockingl engaging the outer edge faces of said rails to prevent spreading action thereot, the brace inwardly of the rails having recesses r-ceiving said rods, and means movable across said recesses and into engagement with said rails for simultaneously confining the rods in said recesses and holding the said rails against inward movement toward each other and said rods.

2. A brace for a heddle frame comprisin rod having its ends extended angularly in a common direction, each of said ends having attaching means, the rod having transverse recesses for receiving heddle supporting rods, and arms movably supported on the rod, at one site or a recess for confining the heddle rods in the recesses and for engagement with a portion of a heddle frame.

in testimony whereof, I ailix my signature.

CHARLES C. RUSSELL. 

